Using impulsive peak insertion loss of hearing protectors with impulsive damage risk criteria

Abstract

Impulsive noise presents special challenges for hearing conservation. The scientific community continues to search for an impulsive noise exposure criterion which accurately assesses the hearing damage risk for both short and long duration impulses. Other factors, such as the use of hearing protectors, earmuffs and earplugs, also affect the hearing damage risk but the current criteria do not address methods for using the attenuation of hearing protectors in impulsive noise. The relatively new ANSIS12.42-2010 “Methods for the Measurement of Insertion Loss of Hearing Protection Devices in Continuous or Impulsive Noise using Microphone-in-Real-Ear or Acoustic Test Fixture Procedures” describes methods for measuring the peak insertion loss of a hearing protector in impulsive noise. This paper will describe a method to apply the peak insertion loss data to impulsive noise damage risk criteria for an estimate of allowable impulsive noise exposure when using hearing protection.